Please help with new cockatiel

[Gorazd]

Hello. I bought a new cockatiel from the local pet store (The parrot is completely untamed and scared of everything) and I am new to keeping a parrot as a pet, so I have a few questions regarding their behavior if anyone could answer them!

• The cockatiel has not made one chirp since I bought it, it has not eaten anything noticeably (it pooped two times however) and has not drunk even the slightest of water. It has literally switched places in its cage only once in 36h+.

• I’ve tried giving it small amounts of apple, banana, grapes other than the regular bird food (seeds, nuts) however the parrot panicked and started flapping its wings, and later didn’t even bother to look into the plate and stayed on it’s “branch”.

• Half of the time the parrot leans it’s neck and body forward and stays like that in a weird awkward position and the other half of the time it leans its neck to one side. I’m not sure if it is sad/lonely/depressed...

• I’ve given the bird something to bite/chew on and some toys, however it doesn’t react and just stays in one position and does absolutely nothing all day long.

• I am not sure if the parrot is old (I’m not really sure if they sell old parrots however) if it’s ill or just extremely scared. It is kept in my bedroom and I am most of the time by it’s side, mostly quiet.

Can anyone help by answering the questions and telling me how to continue with the cockatiel? Thanks!

 

[Gorazd]

Im extremely disappointed with this forum! Obviously, no one gives a damn!

 

[charmedbyekkie]

***k this forum, literally nobody gives a ****.

For me, it's been a busy time. I boarded a plane 11am US West Coast time and was in the air for the better part of 30 hours before landing just after midnight my local time....... Now I'm insanely jetlagged and trying to solve the fact that my house got water damage while I was away for 2 weeks. All the while juggling my backlog of client work, so that I can be available for the new interns coming in this Monday.

What I'm saying is, we all have lives. If you want to bump a post because, hey, sometimes the majority of the members are sleeping when a post goes up (I know it does for me because I don't live in a US/Europe/Aussie timezones), you can also gently bump and folks are more than happy to respond (just look at other similar threads and you'll see this is true).



Now to get to your original post:

Your bird is terrified. That's quite normal for many birds in a completely new environment. They're not dogs where you can clearly see a bond forming within a few minutes to a few days. Parrots tend to take months to warm up to their new families.

The non-eating/drinking is a concern. What was he eating before? You will need to slowly transition him from whatever he was eating in his previous home, if you do plan on changing his diet (seeds and nuts are not a healthy base alone for a diet). How does his poop look like? It could indicate that he's eating when you're not around.

As for his movement, what's the size and setup of his cage? New toys can terrify birds - what was his old cage setup like? Have you read any of the introductory threads on this forum on how to approach new birds? I'll find the link in a minute - am on mobile.

As for the posture, do share a photo of that. I'm wondering if he's stargazing.

Finally, have you taken him to an avian vet?

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Here's the links!

Tips on bonding and building trust:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html

Must read for all first-time owners:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/8769-so-you-want-get-parrot-first-time.html

More specific if I'm reading your underlying concerns correctly:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/3100-bond-forming.html

Another must read for first-time owners - too many first timers don't know and accidentally kill their birds:
http://www.parrotforums.com/general...e-s-pfoa-s-silicon-ceramic-cook-bakeware.html

 

[LaManuka]

I’m sorry Gorazd that you seem somewhat disappointed with the response so far to your post. I too imagine many members have been pre-occupied with their busy lives in recent times to have spent much time on the Forums.

Pet birds are not like pet dogs or cats. They are instinctively cautious and fearful and your little one has likely experienced many major changes so far in his/her short life so is understandably terrified. It can take a very long time indeed for a bird to feel comfortable enough in new surroundings and learn to trust you. I once had a cockatiel for probably 6 or 7 YEARS before she learned that I wasn’t a threat to her and one day it was like a switch flicked on in her little head and she became sweet and cuddly almost overnight.

Bottom line is you will need to be patient and take everything at the bird’s pace. Move slowly and quietly around him/her and try to make each interaction a positive one. You don’t know what happened to your bird before coming to live with you, so you must show kindness and thoughtfulness in your dealings with him/her. It will pay dividends in the long run.

 

[Allee]

Gorazd, I’m sorry you didn’t get the answers you were looking for as quickly as you expected. This was not intentional, as the others have said, we all have lives outside the forums. We respond as quickly as we can, especially when a message appears as urgent as yours does.

You have received excellent advice from charmedbyekkie and LaManuka. I hope your bird has calmed considerably and you’ve had a chance to examine the situation enough to determine if your bird is healthy.

 

[Laurasea]

Aww. I had a hurricane going on...
And sometimes I log on and glance at a few posts.
We care I promise. Have patience with us, and patience with your new baby.
I agree this sounds like fear. Almost all birds when the first come home experience some fear and adjustment time.
You are going to prove to your bird you are trustworthy, and a freind. The tips on bonding are great, we all have to bond with our parrots.
Sitting by and talking helps, just don't state right at them, makes them this k you are going to eat them
We are here for you! It just sometimes takes a bit to respond !

 

[texsize]

Based on the description of the birds posture I would be very worried about it's health.
Without a picture it's difficult to say but I would be on my way to the nearest avian certified vet.
IF no avian vet is available an exotic animal vet would be your 2nd choice.